Get Blu-ray for less with new Vaios

IFA 2007: HD format set to creep down the range

Sony has announced a range of Blu-ray sporting notebooks at IFA. Like Toshiba with HD DVD, Sony is rolling its favoured HD format down the range so it's no longer the preserve of the top most models.

Sony is offering the L, AR and FZ series with either a Blu-ray combo drive or standard Blu-ray drive that will write as well as read Blu-ray discs.

"We want to give more people a clear path into HD," said Hidetoshi Takigawa, marketing director for Vaio in Europe. "At its simplest, this means the ability to watch HD movies at home. For those who want to go further, some VAIO products have the power to edit HD content."

The flagship model in the AR-50 range is the VGN-AR51SU - traditional Sony name-bafflement ahoy. It has a 17-inch X-black screen capable of Full 1080p HD playback courtesy of Nvdia graphics, plus an integrated burner means you can burn dual-layer 50GB Blu-ray discs.

The L Series features a separate keyboard and screen get-up. And no wonder, the LT models have massive 22-inch screens illuminated by four lamps. The screen operates at 1680 x 1050 WSXGA+ resolution. The LM models feature a 19-inch screen, also with four lamp illumination, operating at 1440 x 900 WSXGA+ resolution. Integrated multiple TV tuners are also included.

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Dan (Twitter, Google+) is TechRadar's Former Deputy Editor and is now in charge at our sister site Lifehacker UK. Covering all things computing, internet and mobile he's a seasoned regular at major tech shows such as CES, IFA and Mobile World Congress. Dan has also been a tech expert for many outlets including BBC Radio 4, 5Live and the World Service, The Sun and ITV News.